As the cold weather moves in, humidity levels naturally drop. That’s because cold air can’t hold as much moisture as warm air. Ideal indoor humidity during winter should hover around 45 percent. But dry winter air can cause your humidity to drop substantially, to levels of 15 percent or less. With this humidity imbalance come a number of potential problems that can affect your health, your home and especially your comfort.

Problem 1: Dry air and disease preventionThe upper part of your respiratory system, including your throat and nose, is lined with moist membranes. These membranes serve to capture dirt, dust, viruses and bacteria before they reach your lungs. When these membranes lose too much moisture to dry air, their ability to capture particles becomes compromised.

Proper humidity levels help these membranes do their job preventing harmful particles from getting into the sensitive areas of your lungs. So if you take steps to keep the right amount of moisture in your air, you can actually reduce your risk of illness.